I once joked that Trump has an evil twin. This was satire. I will, however, drag this old “joke” from my blogger’s storage unit. It becomes clear to me that in order to portray empathy or to project a presidential message, the White House has opted to utilize a mechanical automaton that resembles Donald Trump. It still is in need of upgrades, since it’s ability to deliver a sense of sincerity, gravitas, or any semblance of real human emotion or compassion falls disastrously short of convincing. This is a silly notion. I know this is not true. Yet, the prospect of John Kelly trotting out a robotic double of Donald Trump when the president needs to stay on message is far more believable than the idea that Trump truly denounces racism, bigotry, and hatred.

There is very little humor to be had surrounding the events in Charlottesville. The open hatred and racism that we witnessed in Virginia have continued to cast a long shadow over the Trump Administration. His own reticence to come out against the hate groups that represent a large portion of the Donald Trump’s dwindling base can be viewed as political cowardice and an implicit endorsement of White Nationalism and Racism in America.

Today (August 14, 2017), in an transparent attempt to placate the outrage on both sides of the political aisle, Donald Trump issued a statement in a press conference. Having watched the statement, I would say it was one of the least convincing performances I have seen from Trump. Let’s take a look and see what we can extract from his mess.

Thank you. I’m in Washington today to meet with my economics team to meet about trade policy and major tax cuts and reform. We are renegotiating trade deals and making them good for the American worker, and it’s about time. Our economy is now strong, the stock market continues to hit record highs, unemployment is at a 16-year low and businesses are more optimistic than ever before. Companies are moving back to the United States and bringing many thousands of jobs with them. We have already created over 1 million jobs since I took office.

A Pet Peeve of mine is Donald Trump’s continued lack of specificity. His gross generalizations and usage of grandiose figures neither inform nor communicate competency. Specificity need not destroy one’s ability to be concise in messaging; yet, his own claims seem to be backed up by large numbers and figures that he happened to come up with off the top of his head. Then again, Trump has not been well-renowned for using fact-based evidence in anything he chooses to undertake.

The world of economics moves slowly. Myself, I’m not a economics expert, but Trump would have us believe that his brief tenure in the Oval Office has managed to make sweeping economic changes. Truth be told, President Obama’s budget proposal is still in effect until 30 September…so, as is a common refrain among Resisters: Donald Trump once again takes credit for another Obama success.

We will be discussing economic issues in greater detail later this afternoon, but based on the events that took place over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, I would like to provide the nation with an update on the ongoing federal response to the horrific attack and violence that was witnessed by everyone.

I just met with FBI director Christopher Wray, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the deadly car attack that killed one innocent American, and wounded twenty others. To anyone who acted criminally in this weekend’s racist violence, you will be held fully accountable. Justice will be delivered.

Donald Trump delivers a tepid and laconic response that ultimately comes off as insincere and disengaged. His entire tone has the emotional temper of a man silently telling the White Supremacist community: “Sorry, guys, they made me say this stuff…”

Donald Trump, decides not to apply domestic terrorism to white supremacy. Precedent has sadly been established for terrorists using vehicular manslaughter as a tool; and similar events in London prompted Trump to tout his inherently racist immigration ban. In his unjustified and uninformed attack on London Mayor Sadiq Khan, he acknowledges this vehicular attack is terrorism:

At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is "no reason to be alarmed!"

Terrorism is neither defined as something perpetuated through bombs nor as something carried out by Islamic Extremists. There is a blind-spot among white conservatives who subscribe to Trump’s rhetoric. Terrorism can come from any extremist group…to include so-called “christian” extremists that would rather see an America bereft of diversity.

I remain skeptical as to how far any probe into this event goes under FBI Director Chris Wray and Jeff “Jim Crow” Sessions. Do we really expect Sessions to come down hard on the KKK…a group that Sessions had once said: “I used to respect them [The KKK], but if they smoke pot, I sure can’t,” Apparently, marijuana use, in Sessions twisted mind, is worse than racist lynch mobs.

I think Trump’s word choice at the end is key. “To anyone who acted criminally in this weekend’s racist violence, you will be held fully accountable. Justice will be delivered.” This statement remains general and places responsibility of violence on nobody; mirroring his earlier statement that the weekend’s violence can be attributed to “many sides.” As I thought further on the dissection of this statement, I realized his unwillingness to place responsibility is actually a means to shift responsibility. As is the trend among sexists and misogynists, Donald Trump implicitly Victim-Blames the counter-protesters in Charlottesville.

Be wary, I get the sense Sessions and Trump will be pursuing the protester community, claiming they brought violence on themselves…while White Supremacists and Nazis remain un-phased by Donald Trump, liberal and progressive protesters will be probed and investigated I fear.

As I said on Saturday, we condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence – it has no place in America. And as I have said many times before, no matter the color of our skin, we all live under the same laws. We all salute the same great flag, and we are all made by the same almighty God. We must love each other, show affection for each other and unite together in condemnation of hatred, bigotry and violence. We must rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans.

When Trump finally spoke out Saturday, he did not condemn hatred, bigotry, and violence in the “strongest possible terms.”

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.” — 12 Aug 2017

I find it amusing, Donald Trump or his speechwriter had to re-use the same verbiage (pretty much word-for-word) It’s as if they were particularly proud of the prose or had just learned the definition of “egregious” and needed to re-use the word.

Back on track: He says, “…as i have said many times before, no matter the color of our skin, we all live under the same laws.” Had he really said this many times before. Simply stating it as fact in a press conference does not make this true. Further examples of Trump’s political philosophy that if he lies vehemently and often enough, people will eventually believe it.

Again, his own delivery demonstrates a lack of sincerity and he clearly does not believe a word he is saying.

Racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans. We are a nation founded on the truth that all of us are created equal. We are equal in the eyes of our creator, we are equal under the law and we are equal under our constitution. Those who spread violence in the name of bigotry, strike at the very core of America.

There’s the bombshell. It took Donald Trump Saturday and all of Sunday to figure out how to tell the nation that the KKK, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists were evil. If he really believed that, then he would not have hedged his bets earlier and wait for the outrage to become loud enough his staff forced this prepared statement down his gullet.

As is his way, this self-absorbed creature invokes god into his statement. As a person of faith myself, I truly doubt whether or not Trump worships any being other than the one he sees in the mirror every morning. An a appeal to the evangelicals in his camp that are just as deplorable for their espousal of repressing the rights of women and the LGBTQ community as well as standing behind the rampant spread of islamaphobia and xenophobia. Religious Prejudice and religious tyranny are anything but godly.

Two days ago, a young American woman Heather Heyer was tragically killed. Her death fills us with grief, and we send her family our thoughts, our prayers and our love. We also mourn the two Virginia state troopers who died in service to their community, their commonwealth and their country.

Troopers Jay Cullen and Berke Bates exemplify the very best of America, and our hearts go out to their family, their friends and every member of American law enforcement. These three fallen Americans embody the goodness and decency of our nation. In times such as these, America has always shown it’s true character, responding to hate with love, division with unity and violence with an unwavering resolve for justice. As a candidate, I promise to restore law and order to our country, and our federal law enforcement agencies are following through on that pledge.

When the demands became high enough, Donald Trump acknowledged the tragic deaths in Charlottesville. I would, however, add that Trump chooses not to characterize Heather Heyer’s death as a murder; perpetuated by a cowardly act of domestic terrorism, motivated by hate.

Apparently, Donald Trump is speaking to us as “a candidate.” This is where the democrats and The Resistance Movement must be wary. Donald Trump never stopped running for president and will shamelessly continue to do so until he’s either impeached, resigns, or 2020 rears its ugly head.

Note: Trump has still yet to acknowledge three other tragic deaths: the loss of three marines, which occurred on the 8th of August. So, unless you are a die-hard Trump supporter, we can easily say that Donald Trump carries not one empathetic bone in his decrepit body.

We will spare no resource in fighting so that every American child can grow up free from violence and fear. We will defend and protect the sacred rights of all Americans and we will work together so that every citizen in this blessed land is free to follow their dreams in their hearts and to express the love and joy in their souls. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you very much.

He speaks of fighting violence and fear, yet, this runs contrary to many of his statements and tweets; which have only further fanned the flames of violence and fear. He has encouraged police brutality, incited his gun-touting supporters to shoot Hillary, and we continue to see a marked uptick in Islamophobia and anti-immigrant sentiments which has come to characterize his presidency. His call to fight extremism and hate-fueled violence rings hollow and speaks to his blatant hypocrisy. At no point has America been more fearful. Fearful of minorities, fearful of immigrants, fearful of Islam…and for almost two-thirds of America, fearful for the future of American democracy and pluralism. I don’t buy his line that he opposes violence and fear. His own words and actions say otherwise.

Again, invoking religious verbiage, he proclaims the importance of rights of all Americans. While freedom of speech remains a cornerstone of our constitution, one can also imply through his broad language that the rights of extremist white, christian hate groups/domestic terrorists are of equal value.

Note: In the interest of full disclosure, while I remain a supporter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), their own dedication to freedoms and rights applied to all Americans have extended to these movements as well. One reason I have had a troubled and conflicted view of the organization.

The continued trend of hate and bigotry in our country is worth becoming alarmed over. Certainly, I believe that those that are willing to stand up against hate vastly outnumber the small fringe element of racists and bigots that have emerged from the woodwork. Did Donald Trump create these people? No. The KKK, White Nationalists, and Neo-Nazis have been a part of America’s fringe radical groups since before Trump stepped into the Oval Office. What is concerning is that these hate-mongers no longer feel alone, and believe they can spout their hateful rhetoric with the tacit endorsement from the White House. In this charged environment, an even more deplorable creature has emerged into the fabric of American society: The Hate Group Apologist. There’s no justification for hate-fueled violence. There’s no justification for racial and religious hatred.

Whether you believe Donald Trump is a racist or not (let’s be honest, he probably is…for those of you doubtful of this label, you can reference a rather exhaustive list of his racial prejudice and prejudice of his cronies), he is most definitely a political coward. His statement not only telegraphs gross insincerity, but also comes as “too little, too late.” He has spent the last few months slowly eroding his support from the GOP. He has not yet to have a day where approximately two-thirds of America isn’t outraged. So, he suckles at the teats of his base, which is largely characterized by racists, anti-semites, islamaphobes, xenophobes and bigots. His support is dwindling, and I’d wager he’s scared to lose the few die-hards he has left.

Are you feeling like you’ve been taking crazy pills? Baffled by the fact the President still remains seemingly unscathed from provided aid and comfort to an adversarial Russia? Astounded that the President of the United States of America in the 21st Century tolerates a President that offers safe harbor to racists and bigots both in our country and in his own White House? Well…I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to Comment, share, and like. Also, subscribe to ensure you get the latest updates. You can also follow me on twitter @streamingdan82

Excellent post, Dan! There is not a single shred of sincerity in anything Trump has ever said, so why would we expect it now. He has no compassion, except perhaps for himself. After I read of his brief speech today, I could picture him calling Richard Spencer or David Duke and saying, “Hey … don’t worry … you know I’m on your side, but they said if I didn’t say that, we were likely going to have riots. But no worries … ” David Duke went so far as to say that the rally was “the fulfillment of President Donald Trump’s vision for America.” And he then sent a message, public but intended for Trump, that he (Trump) better remember who put him in office.

Now, my only question is … why is this ‘man’ who surrounds himself with known white supremacists … think Gorka, Miller & Bannon … still in office, and are we planning to let him stay there until we are saluting him and saying “Heil Trump”?

I do see some republicans in Congress and also some republican ministers beginning to speak out now, so I find that encouraging, but is it a case of too little, too late? I don’t know, but now that these creatures have been let out of Pandora’s box, they are not going back in without a fight. Sigh.

Thanks so much Jill. I’ll say, I’ve taken a backseat the past week, as every moment I start on a piece, Trump outpaces me with another outrage.

Why indeed is Donald Trump still president. It seems to be the common refrain among the progressive community. How are we still here? Frankly the only answer I have is Trump’s worst attributes are his greatest strengths playing off the fears of the ignorant has been the tool of tyrants for centuries…we have proven that the United States is not immune to this phenomena. We can only hope that the progressive, free thinking folks out there continue to take action (so easy to get exhausted in this environment) and the GOP continues to bail on the sinking ship. It is too little too late, I’d like to think that this will eventually backfire on the republicans during the 2018 midterms…but this gradual reversal on the Trump Train, might be just enough to keep some moderate conservatives that are on the fence to keep the highly competitive states “red.”

But I digress. The shorter reply is, Thank you so much. The kind folks on WordPress, blogger community and twitterverse have proven to be wonderful and embracing communities; proving we are not alone. We are not crazy.

Trump does not represent humanity at it’s best but he does represent a third of the USA. I hear you. I feel for you. I hope that you will give some thought to employment abroad. It will not get better in this country for a very long time, if ever. A couple of dozen people hold enough wealth to pay off the national debt and we are supposed to want a mfg’g companies back and higher GNP? Why? Our oceans and lands is filled with more product than we could ever use. 16 countries outlaw holocaust denial. Without a common truth there is no basis to build on. This country permitted the symbols of racism to remain after the Civil War was won. This country permitted the symbols of Nazism to remain. This country will keep the symbol of idiocy on the WH wall, for generations to come, because he rightfully represents a third of this country. I hate it too.
k

Donald Trump is just a mobile, vocal pile of id, cutting out the ego and super-ego that make us compassionate beings with the power of reason.

Thank you so much Kathy! The video you shared is absolutely spot on!! Thank you.

I secretly considered living abroad…heck I spent a year and half living among the diversity of foreign lands when I used to be working with the State Department in the US Embassy of Oman.

I even considered the financial possibility of relocating to Canada, England or France…but truth be told, it would be difficult for me and my wife after having finally settled in California near family. Were I the sole decision maker in the household, it would be vastly different story

Dan,
Thank you. I’m glad you gave some thought to relocating. Those countries are good choices. Also, Ireland, Norway, Germany. Amazon in Berlin is looking for a Turkish speaking project specialist. Maybe in consideration of family yet to come, or for your mental health, you might reconsider. Let me know if I can help.
k

Thank You. I’ll certainly consider the option, but despite all the hate, the heart-burn, the anger, and the frustrations…I’m not not quite ready to make that leap…yet. Who knows, though, the way that American Politics continues to worsen and logic and reason are being thrown out the window with such glee…anything can happen. If 2016/2017 has taught me anything, the even the ludicrous can become reality and “Never” is something far removed from my vocabulary.